Back Float Swimming For Adults

Transcription

1 Back Float Swimming For Adults A Step x Step Guide

2 Table of Contents How To Use This Guide... 3 A Good Back float... 3 Do Not Skip This: Introduction... 3 Stage 2: Adult LearningTo Swim Course...3 Expect Slow Initial Progress...4 Don't Comparing Yourself... 4 Acknowledge Your History...4 It Is Normal To Feel Frustrated...5 You Need To Be Comfortable Getting Your Head Under Water...5 Getting Your Head Position Right...5 Overcoming The Fear... 6 Deep Breathing... 6 Get A Friend To Help... 6 Always Swim With A Friend!...6 About Learning To Float on Your Back...6 Starting In Deep or Shallow Water...7 The Steps To Learning To Float On Your Back...8 Step 1: Learn To Sit Up... 8 Step 2: Angel Wings... 8 Step 3: Clap Your Hands...9 Step 4: Try To Sit Up... 9 Step 5: Bend Your Knees...9 Step 6: Angel Wings And Sit Ups...9 Step 7: Starting in Shallow Water (ankle deep)...9 You Need To Be Comfortable Getting Your Head Under Water...10 Adjusting Your Head Position...10 Modify Your Angel Wing Action

3 What If I Only Have Access To Chest Deep Or Deeper Water...11 Step 8: In Deeper Water (knee deep) Step 9: Raise Your Hips & Solving Problems Step 10: Raise Your Toes...13 Step 11: Deeper Water Still (Waist Deep)...13 Moving Into Slightly Deeper Water (Waist Deep)...14 Deeper Angel Wings Step 12: Repeat The Above Until Your Feel Comfortable...15 Appendix A: What If You Only Have Deep Water To Practice In?...16 Appendix A, Step 1: Start With Kick Boards Appendix A, Step 2: Repeat Appendix A Step Appendix A, Step 3: Repeat Appendix A Step 1 Several Times...17 Appendix A, Step 4: Raising Your Toes And Hips Appendix A, Step 5: Into The Float Position Without Using Your Arms...18 Appendix A, Step 6: Practice...18 Appendix A, Step 7: Good Back Float Appendix A, Step 8: Back Floating Without Kick Boards; It's Time!...18 Replace The Kick Boards With Your Friend...18 You Have To Be Comfortable Getting Your Head Under Water...19 Getting Your Head Position Right...19 Keep The Head Position With The Water Over Your Ears When It Comes Time To Stand Up, Sweep Your Hands Much, Much Deeper...20 Sweep Your Arms As Often And As Deep As You Need...20 Bend Your Knees...20 Appendix A, Step 9: Repeat...21 Appendix A, Step 10: Time For Your Friend To Let Go...21 You Are In Control...21 Make Sure Your Friend Understands It's Only For A Moment...21 Solving Problems Appendix A, Step 11: Let Go For Longer...22 Appendix A, Step 12: Let Go Until You Are Floating

4 How To Use This Guide This guide is written for a complete beginner. If you are not a complete beginner you may feel as though you can skip steps. It is a self help guide and I can't stop you from doing this. But please, before you do, make absolutely sure that you really can do each step that you have skipped. The best way to check you can do the step is to read each step and do a quick practice before you move on. Yes, effectively I am saying don't skip steps. But if you think about it, it only takes a moment to do each step if you know how and you loose nothing by doing so. In fact you can only gain because you have assured yourself you can or cannot do it. If you do skips steps and find find that things are not working the way I say they should, you have probably skipped too far ahead. Please go back to the bits you need. This is a self help guide, no one else is going to know that you went back or repeated a step. A Good Back float Your objective is to learn to do a good back float. A Good back float is one where your head is back, your ears are in the water, your toes are poking the surface, (not above the surface, they should be near the surface) and your stomach is doing the same. Do Not Skip This: Introduction *** If you are going to spend a lot of time in the water both you and your friend (see below) should learn CPR (Resuscitation). Look it up and learn it. It is most unlikely that you will need it but it never hurts to be prepared and safe.*** Stage 2: Adult LearningTo Swim Course This is the second stage that I teach an adult learning to swim. Learn about Stage 1: Getting Your Head Under Water Here- [LINK] Congratulations! What you have decided to do by taking this course is a big deal! You should be very proud of yourself. With patience and persistence you will succeed. Better still I am here to help you succeed. Let me prepare you for the road to success by helping you understand what is going to go on in your heart and your head and the things you can do so your lessons will be stress free. 3

5 Expect Slow Initial Progress To start with you should expect your progress to be slow. Many adults have expressed their frustration to me about what they feel is their slow progress. They say that they are adults and therefore they should be able to pick this up more easily. Whilst you are an adult, there are many factors that affect how easily you pick things up. We will talk about some of them in a moment. But before I do that, I need encourage you by saying: YOU WILL GET IT, BUT BE GENTLE ON YOURSELF. Learning to swim is not like learning another language. There are many other factors involved in learning this skill. Don't Comparing Yourself You should not compare yourself to anybody else. Some will pick things up easier than others. Remember you are training yourself to do something you may have never done before or have never done properly. Give your body a chance to learn. The only losers in life are those who stop trying. You are reading this course, you are therefore not a loser. Acknowledge Your History Whereas a child's fear is usually nothing more than fear of the unknown. Alleviating that fear is mostly about making the unknown known. An adult's fear is usually based on one or more real experiences. Some adults that don't learn to swim, simply never had the opportunity to do so. Others have some physical restrictions. Some have both. However for most adults, there was usually some defining event that has turned you off getting into the water after that. Some sort of disturbing event around water or that you associate with it. Perhaps even a near drowning. Over time, the memory of that event may have grown into an almost overwhelming fear associated with water. That fear may have had a long time to bury itself into your mind and heart, it is a part of you. You have to learn to manage that obstacle of fear. You may be the only one who knows what that event is. You may have successfully kept it a secret for years. You may have, so carefully crafted your method of avoiding going into the water that it has become part of you. But even though nobody else knows why you are afraid of the water, you are and that has to be managed and you may have to unlearn your excuses. Therefore the biggest obstacle to overcome your fear of water as an adult, is your own history. That defining event that you remember and never wish to repeat. This can often have some very confusing effects. For example, you may be happy to put your head under the water in the shower but not the bath or the pool; even though you know that it is safe to do so. 4

6 The bath or pool bother you because they are the bodies of water that have become associated with the event that frightened you, the shower may not. The result is you may find yourself having a slower start to swimming than you were expecting and getting frustrated because of it. You are impeded because of your experience and hence you have to accept that you will start out slower because of it. This Is Nothing To Be Ashamed Of. It Is Normal To Feel Frustrated So when you feel yourself getting frustrated you need to stop, take a deep breath (I'll show you the best way to do that in a little while) and remember you have taken a long time, sometimes many years to develop this reaction to water. All this is perfectly normal. It will take a bit of patience to overcome. Once you do, you will probably be amazed at how fast you progress from then on. It's not about getting over the fear; which may never happen completely but it is about mastering it. That done you can achieve your goal. You Need To Be Comfortable Getting Your Head Under Water If you have skipped the introduction please go back and read it: it is important. Remember: STRESS IS NOT YOUR FRIEND Whenever you are dealing with water there is always the chance that your head will go under water. If you are going to learn to swim properly you must be comfortable with this. If you are not comfortable getting your head under water or you feel like it may bother you, go and do my Getting Your Head Under Water course [LINK]. The Getting Your Head Under Water course is Stage 1 of my learn to swim course. Getting Your Head Position Right Getting your head in the best position may take a few goes to get this right. Don't give up. Sometimes when doing this water goes up your nose; you need to be prepared for this. Next time your head goes under water try blowing air out of your nose. But no matter how well prepared and comfortable you are with your head going under it may still happen. It can be very off putting so if it does, just sit yourself up the best way you can; remain quiet and wait for the discomfort to pass, then try again; each time working at adjusting your head better. If you are really struggling use nose clips. This is not my preference because the water going up your nose is a very strong incentive to get your head position correct. But I would rather you used nose clips than give up. 5

7 Overcoming The Fear Deep Breathing Perch your mouth like you are going to whistle. But Don't Whistle! Keeping your mouth in this position and take a deep breath. But Do Not Whistle Now keeping you mouth in position, breathe out in one long slow breath. Without Whistling Repeat this process until you feel calm Remember long slow breaths, in and out, until you feel quite calm Come back to do this exercise just before you start your practice and any time, you are feeling a bit nervous. Repeat it as often as you need and as soon as you feel calm you can begin. Get A Friend To Help Get a friend to be with you whilst you are doing this course. A good friend can be with you the whole time and them being with you, will give you some good old fashion reassurance. Reassurance is the best way to overcome your negative reaction to water. There are more advanced ways to overcome a fear. But they can only be administered by professional people. However I have never had a new swimmer yet that doesn't respond to good old reassurance. I have found there is nothing you will respond to better than someone you know, trust and can depend on, standing next to you as you do what you have got to do to learn to swim. As I have said you may have had a lot of years to confirm your fear. It is normal and there is no shame in admitting that freely to a friend. Be kind and patient with yourself and take all the time you need and get a friend to help. Always Swim With A Friend! It is great to have a friend to give you reassurance but when you are learning to float there is even more benefit to having a friend. It is never safe to swim alone, however it is particularly important when you are learning to swim. Your friend does not have to know how to swim but they do need to be able to recover to standing position themselves if they fall over in the water. They also need to be able to lift you out of the water if you start to get into difficulty and need help standing up. If your friend can't recover to standing position themselves they are of no help to you and could hinder your learning or worse make you unsafe. So it is best to practice in water that is no deeper than your friends ability to recover to a stand so they can help. About Learning To Float on Your Back The principal of learning to float is very simple but actually doing it is more challenging. Not however, for the the reason most people would think. 6

8 The thing that gives the most problems is recovering from a float; that is standing up after you get on your back. In fact I venture to say that once people are no longer concerned about getting their head under water they wouldn't think twice about trying to float if they could be confident in their ability to stand up safely. Whilst floating freely in the water is a little disconcerting at first, it is nothing compared with not being able to get up again. I regularly get told by other professionals that there are some people who can't float. But in all my years of teaching (in excess of 20 years) I have never had a student I could not teach how to float. I'm sure there are some that can't but I have never come across one. Some may not float perfectly horizontally but all my students can float. Part of the problem I think is that people assume that floating is all about buoyancy. I could teach you all I know about how bone density, muscle to fat ratios and different body shapes, all affect buoyancy and if you find you need that information you can find it here. But there is more to it than that. Whilst buoyancy is a significant part of floating, muscle control is just as significant. You can't have good buoyancy without being able to move all the various body parts into position. For example: If you don't tilt your head enough in the right direction your feet will not raise in the water. Yet if you tilt your head too much either your feet will sink or you start to sink head first. Tensing your abdominal muscles can help raise your feet. But tense your abdominal muscles too much and you will find your hips sinking. So whilst buoyancy is what makes you float, it is only achievable with correct muscle control. Starting In Deep or Shallow Water You can learn to float in deep water but I don't recommend it. Shallow water is defined as water that is about ankle deep. If you really do not have access to shallow water it will be harder for you but it can be done. You will have to make sure you do all the shallow water work on dry land. I have included a method below on how to do it in deeper water but it is far and away easier to start to learn to float in shallow water. Some people will want to skip straight to the deep water, even though they have access to shallow. Please don't do that. If you are learning to swim with an instructor, it is actually better to learn to float in deeper water (standing depth) because the instructor can manipulate your body more easily. But doing it for yourself you need to learn how to stay flat and how to sit up. This is best done in the shallow, where you can use the bottom as a guide as to your correct body position and you can learn to sit up correctly without sinking. 7

9 The Steps To Learning To Float On Your Back Don't do anything until I say: "Begin" Don't Forget:you can do the Deep Breathing exercise if you are a bit nervous Step 1: Learn To Sit Up Remember: don't do anything until I say: "" Recovering from a float is basically about sitting up. But you must do it correctly. When you are floating in deep water you cannot use the ground to lift yourself. There is nothing there to push against. So to practice recovery from a float you have to learn to sit up without pushing off the ground. The best way to do this is to lay on a flat surface; the ground is good, on a Yoga or Pilates mat is better. Even your bed will do fine. You do not have to be in water to practice this. Here is how you do this step: Lay flat, in a nice dry flat area as described above Cross your arms across your chest Keeping your arms crossed and sit up Don't worry if you can't sit up all the way up, the water is much more forgiving that a flat surface. Remember to keep your arms crossed at all time. No cheating. You must not touch the ground with your hands. 5. As soon as you are at least part way up you can lay down again 6. Repeat this several times. You should feel comfortable with it before you stop Step 2: Angel Wings This time you are going to do the same thing except with your arms doing angel wings. That's right angel wings as you try to sit up. You need to be doing this on a soft surface like a mat or sand or a bed so that you won't scratch your arms. Here is how you do this step: 1. Lay down again with your arms fully stretched out above your head, palms toward you feet 2. Keeping them straight 3. Making sure you arms remain in contact with the surface at all times, bring them down to you thighs as fast as you can. 4. Repeat: Do this a few times If you were laying on sand when you did this you would notice two wing shape imprints in the sand on either side of your body. Thus this action is called angel wings: Fig 1: Angel Wings 8

10 Step 3: Clap Your Hands Repeat step 2 only this time clap your hands in front if you, after the angel wings. Step 4: Try To Sit Up Repeat step 3 again and this time try to sit up as soon as you clap your hands. Step 5: Bend Your Knees Repeat step 4 again and this time bend your knees up as you sit up. You may grab your knees or on your shins after the clap. Step 6: Angel Wings And Sit Ups Repeat step 5 until you feel comfortable doing the angel wings with the sit up. Remember you do not have to sit up all the way. Step 7: Starting in Shallow Water (ankle deep) Remember: wait until I say "" before you do anything. Don't Forget:you can do the Deep Breathing exercise if you are a bit nervous Here is how you do this step: The water needs to be no deeper than your ankles to start with. 1. Lay down in the water, on your back, with your hands by your side. Letting your body rest on the bottom of the pool. Lay your head back until the water covers your ears 2. Stay in this position and spend some time feeling how different your body feels in the water 3. When you are used to that feeling raise your hands above your shoulders 4. Stay in this position for a few moments and get used to it. You should begin to feel yourself bobbing up and down or a least feel as though you are a little lighter. This is a good thing as it means that you are starting to float. 5. Sit up as in step 6, doing angel wings and bending your knees as you do and clap your hands in front of your knees. Your may need to grab your shins when you have finished the clap 6. Repeat the process until you feel comfortable 9

11 It's time to move on to deeper water. Wait!! Read This Carefully Before You Move On If for some reason you have skipped part of the practice in shallow water go back now. You Need To Be Comfortable Getting Your Head Under Water Now that you are in deeper water you are going to start your float with your head under water. If in step 8 below you manage to keep your head above water the whole time, good for you but most won't be able to do it and I encourage you not tot try. Besides there is a good chance that as you practice and are concentrating on everything else that you will forget about where your head is in relation to the water and your face will go under. This may even result in you getting water up your nose. I know I've said this in a couple of times above but I always need to say it again to my new students so I'm saying to you too. Remember that if your head goes under the water at any stage you no longer need to be concerned about it because you have done my Getting Your Head Under Water course [LINK] haven't you. If you are not comfortable getting your head under water or you think it is something that may bother you, go back and review my Getting Your Head Under Water course [LINK] Adjusting Your Head Position For most students the best position is with your chin up high so that you face is above the water and your ears are the only thing under water. However everybody will have a slightly different ideal head position. Therefore getting your head in the most appropriate position for you personally, may take a few goes. If after about 2 dozen attempts you don't manage to get you face above water just move on to the next step (step 9) where we will have some fixes. The important thing is that you, Don't give up! As long as your feet are floating off the bottom of the pool, your face is close to the surface of the water and you body is more or less straight (that is not tucked or tensed up) you are good for this step. The other reason for getting your head position correct is to try and stop water going up your nose. Remember: if your head is under water, try blowing air out of your nose to stop the water going up it. Also keep in mind that sometimes water may go up your nose no matter how well prepared and comfortable you are with your head going under water. If this happens just sit yourself up the best way you can; remain quiet and wait for the discomfort to pass, then try again; each time working at adjusting your head better. If you are really struggling with the water up your nose, use nose clips. This is not my preference because the water going up your nose is a very strong incentive to get your head position correct. But I would rather you used nose clips than give up. Modify Your Angel Wing Action The purpose of the clapping when you finish your angel wins is now complete. It was intended to 10

12 make sure you moved your arms hard and fast enough to do the work they need to do in the water. Your angel wing action for sitting up is now going to change. Just a little. Now when you move your arms, I want you to dig into the water and push the water towards your legs. This will move more water and make it easier to stand up. You still do the angel wings (this will help you sit up) but you to dig into the water and push the water towards your legs (see Fig.3. below) What If I Only Have Access To Chest Deep Or Deeper Water (If you only have access to chest deep water, You Must have your swimming helper friend with you at all times as you practice. Your friend must be in arms reach and ready, able and willing to help you. Remember this friend needs to be able to stand themselves up in the water if they fall over or they are no help to you. With your friend standing by you then need to then skip down to the section What If You Only Have Deep Water To Practice In? (Appendix A) Keep in mind however that that section can only help you if the water is chest deep, that is you are able to stand in the water. Water that is any deeper than chest deep you need a swim teacher to help you learn to float. It is beyond the scope of this course.) Step 8: In Deeper Water (knee deep) Remember Don't do anything! Until I say "". 1. When your ready, lay down in the water once more. You may need to give yourself a little push off the bottom of the pool 2. Raise your hands raised above your shoulders as you did step 7 3. Allow your head to go underwater if you need to but keep it tilted back until your face comes to the surface 4. Keep your arms below your head and your hands under water 5. Adjust your head as you do this so that you face remains just above the water 6. Sit up as before. Using the modified angel wings action as described above. Remember, don't be concerned if you don't break the surface when you first do this, we will fix that latter. However you should at the very least floating under the water. That is your feet should be floating off the bottom and you face should be somewhere near the surface of the water. But do not hold your breath for long periods of time. Holding your breath until your absolutely cannot hold it any longer is dangerous! Don't do it! It is not safe! It may lead to unconsciousness and you do not want your friend to pull you out of the water unconscious having to perform CPR on you. The moment you feel the need for a breath stand up out of the water and breath. There is always another chance to float. Don't Forget:you can do the Deep Breathing exercise if you are a bit nervous 11

13 Step 9: Raise Your Hips & Solving Problems Wait! I Still Don't want you to do anything before I say begin! In a moment I'm going to ask you to try and raise your hips. You will do this by squeezing Gluteus Maximus Muscles together (the cheeks of your rear end or bottom). This action may cause your face to go under the water again. Don't worry we will adjust fore that. Just remember our earlier talk about that and keep persisting. If your head continues to go under water, when you raise your hips, try tilting your head further forward just a little. If you have problems raising hips, try raising your hands out of the water at the same time as you raise your hips. But be sure it's only your hands, your arms should stay under water. In other words bend your wrists so that your hands are raised out of the water. Fig 2: Floating With Hands And Head Out Of The Water If that doesn't work try raising your arms a little. Just a little. You don't want your arms out of the water. If you still need help get your friend to hold you head as in Fig.4 below whilst you get yourself in position. Here is how you do this step: 1. When your ready, lay down in the water once more. You may need to give yourself a little push off the bottom 2. Raise your hands above your shoulders as you did in step 7 3. Allow your head to go underwater if you need to but keep it tilted back 4. Keep your arms under your head and your hands under water 5. Once you are laying flat and in position (face above the water) push you hips up by squeezing the cheeks of your rear end or bottom together. Make sure it is your hips not just you stomach. Use the muscles in your bottom to push up. 6. See if you can get your hips near to the surface of the water. 7. Adjust your head as you do this so that you face remains just above the water 8. If your head continues to go under water, when you raise your hips, try tilting your head further forward just a little. 9. If you have problems raising hips, try raising your hands out of the water at the same time as you raise your hips. But be sure it's only your hands, your arms should stay under water. In other words bend your wrists so that your hands are raised out of the water. (see Fig.2. Above) 10. If that doesn't work try raising your arms a little. Just a little. You don't want your whole arms out of the water. 12

14 11. When you are comfortable, sit up as before. Using the modified angel wings action as described above. Remember Do Not hold you breath until you can't hold it any more. see above. Step 10: Raise Your Toes Don't forget to wait till I Say "" before you do anything In a moment I will ask you to try to raise your toes. You will do this by tightening your stomach muscles. Most new swimmers will find that as they lift their hips their feet will drop, then as their lift their feet their hips will drop. This is quit normal just keep persisting and adjusting your head, arms, stomach and bottom, as discussed previously until both your feet and your bottom are off the bottom of the pool. If, after a while you can't get your hips near the surface of the water or you can get your hips up but not your feet, don't worry about it. As long as you get every part of your body off the bottom of the pool and you face out of the water you have a successful back float. Over time your float will become better. The are some that never manage to lay flat in a stationary float and that's ok. But never settle for just good enough. Being on an angle will not stop you from progressing. You just need to keep getting better. Here is what you do in this step: Do this only when you are happy that your hips are in position from the above step 9 1. Lay down again and repeat the process from step 9 2. When you hips are in position, tighten your stomach muscles and try to lift you feet off the bottom of the pool, so that your toes are either just out of the water or just under the water. This may have stated to happen already as you practice raising your hips 3. Keep adjusting your head, hips and toes until you have improved on the last time you tried 4. Remember small improvements are good 5. Keep cycling through the process (adjusting hips, toes, head, hands and arms) until you feel comfortable with your floating 6. When you feel as though you have made progress, however small, sit up as before. Using the modified angel wings action Step 11: Deeper Water Still (Waist Deep) As always wait till I say "" before you do anything. Don't Forget:you can do the Deep Breathing exercise if you are a bit nervous and use your friend helper 13

15 Your friend helper should be standing at your head as before (See Fig 4 below), ready to lift you up should you get into difficulty. There is a lot to remember here so it is a good thing to let them read this so they can prompt you on what to do if you forget. Moving Into Slightly Deeper Water (Waist Deep) You are going to move into slightly Deeper Water but Still (that is Waist Deep but quite water. You don't want wavy or choppy water or water with lots of people splashing and playing around you). When you are laying flat you will be doing everything you were doing above but when it comes to standing you will be making deeper angel wings. Deeper Angel Wings You are also going to change you angel wings action again slightly in order to sit up better in deeper water. This time when you sit up with the angel wings, sweep your hands deeper, much deeper this time, into the water and under your hips but still towards your legs, pushing it as hard as you can. As you push the water, you will then sit up like before except that this time you will be able to bend your knees up and draw them toward your chest more, then push your feet under your body. You then will need to continue pushing the water towards your bent knees as you are sitting up. On your first few tries in particular, you may feel the need to circle your hands and arms back behind you a few times to gain more push and move your body more. It is ok to keep doing this action to get your body into a position that you feel safe enough to stand up with and to help you stand. As soon as you feel your body coming into a vertical position put your feet on the water bed and stand up. Fig 3: Standing Up From A Float Here is what you do in this step: Move into slightly deeper water (Waist Deep) Lay down as you did in the process from step 9 Keep adjusting your head, hips and toes until you have improved on the last time you tried Keep adjusting your head, hips and toes until you feel comfortable and then stay in that position for a while. 14

16 5. When you feel as though you have made progress, however small, sweep your hands deep into the water and under your hips but still towards your legs, pushing it as hard as you can 6. As you push the water, you will then sit up like before except that this time you will be able to bend your knees up toward your chest more 7. As you draw your knees up push your feet under your body (See Fig.3 Above) 8. Continue pushing the water towards your bent knees as you are sitting up. 9. Circle your hands and arms back behind you a few times if you need to 10. As soon as you feel your body coming into a vertical position put your feet on the water bed or pool bottom and stand up 11. Remember small improvements are good 12. If your friend is holding your head get them to let go momentarily each time you repeat this to see if you are floating independently 13. If you find you are floating independently get your friend to let go a little longer each time 14. Repeat the process until you feel comfortable and you are floating and standing up safely Step 12: Repeat The Above Until Your Feel Comfortable. Repeat Step 11 until your feel comfortable. You should now be floating comfortably with a good float. A Good back float is one where your head is back, your ears are in the water, your toes are poking the surface, (not above the surface, they should be near the surface) and your stomach is doing the same. If you are not, go back to whatever step you need to and fix it. Congratulations! You should now be floating comfortably. You are now ready to begin the next phase of your learn to swim adventure "Backstroke" [LINK]. Backstroke is the next stage (Stage 3) that I teach my students when I teach them how to swim. I teach this stroke before any others because I find it is the best way to start to teach correct kicking and once you have learned how to float on your back it is the easiest stroke to learn. There is no complicated breathing involved in backstroke and once you have learned even a basic version you can always revert to it if you are struggling in deeper water. There are other reasons as well that I tell you about in the actual module. I look forward to seeing you in it. Again congratulations and I'll see you in the next course [LINK] 15

17 Appendix A What If You Only Have Deep Water To Practice In? Deep Water here means: water that comes up to your chest. It should be no higher than your shoulders. You must be able to stand up in the water with your head out of the water. If the only water you have to practice in is over your head when you are standing, you need a swim teacher to be with you in that water. You can learn to float in such water but only with a swim teacher. At the very least you need to be able to stand on something wide and solid that keeps you head and shoulder out of the water if you are going to learn to float with this course. Learning how to float in water that is any deeper than chest deep is beyond the scope of this course. You CANNOT learn to float in anything that has a current like a river or a stream. Before you do anything you really must read this: Unless there is really no other alternative you really should start practising your back float in shallow water. Even if it is only a bath. It will be much easier to learn to float. That said if you really don't have access to any kind of shallow water, then this is what you can do. Before you start this exercise you must have practices everything up to and including Step 6 above. All of which can be done on dry land. Do not attempt this next section without the above practice. Remember your objective is to learn to do a good back float. A Good back float is one where your head is back, your ears are in the water, your toes are poking the surface, (not above the surface, they should be near the surface) and your stomach is doing the same. Appendix A, Step 1: Start With Kick Boards ****You must have a friend who can swim to help and be safe **** Wait Until I Say First of all you will need two kick boards or some other form of flotation device. One for each hand. Taking the kick board in each hand you will extended your arms out to the sides of your body and lay your head back. If this is too daunting for you, you can use a kick board in one hand and with your other hand, hold the edge of the pool or one hand of your friend. Fig 4: Floating With 2 Kick Boards 16

18 When you do this your feet will want to float. Eventually you are going to let them rise to the surface but for now, as soon as they begin to rise to the surface sit up as you have practised above (up to and including step 6 above). The kick boards should help with this. Here is what you do in this step: 1. Take a kick boards in each hand or one kick board in one hand and with your other hand the edge or your friends hand 2. Extended both your arms out from the sides of your body 3. Lay your head back and let yourself start to rise to the surface of the water 4. Stand up using your angel wings Appendix A, Step 2: Repeat Appendix A Step 1 Repeat Step 1 except this time, allow your feet and legs to float a little higher than last time before you sit up. Appendix A, Step 3: Repeat Appendix A Step 1 Several Times Repeat Step 1 several times, each time allow your feet to float higher, then sit up. Don't use the kick boards to lift your toes use your stomach muscles instead. You can do this by tightening you stomach muscles. When your toes are just poking the surface of the water (not above the surface, just near the surface of the water) they are as high as they need to be. Appendix A, Step 4: Raising Your Toes And Hips As you have been practising lifting your feet, your hips have almost certainly dropped in the water. It's time to fix that. Here is what you do in this step: 1. Lay back raising your toes as before 2. When your toes are just poking the surface, raise your hips by squeezing your Gluteus Maximus Muscles (the cheeks of your bottom) together. Keep doing this until your stomach is just below the surface. Do not push up your stomach only squeezes the muscles in your bottom and let that raise you hips 3. Hold your hips in this position for as long as you can and stand up as in Appendix A Step 1 17

19 Appendix A, Step 5: Into The Float Position Without Using Your Arms Repeat Step 4 but this time try to get into the float position without using your arms to lift yourself. In other words try not to push down on the kick boards just use your hips. Just squeezing the cheek muscles together in your bottom to push your hips up. This may take quite a few goes. It is natural to use your arms but you have to try to resist using them. Just keep repeating the process until you feel you have it. Appendix A, Step 6: Practice Repeat Step 5 until you are comfortable with laying flat with your toes poking the surface (not out of the water but just under) and your hips are up. Appendix A, Step 7: Good Back Float If you have been doing all the above whilst holding the edge or your friend with one hand, you need to repeat steps 1 to 6 using only two kick boards; one in each hand. You are only ready to move on once you are comfortable with floating on your back with two kick boards; one each hand. If you have been practising the above back float with a kick board in each hand, as soon as you are comfortable in a good back float you can move on to step 8. What do I mean by a Good back float? A Good back float is one where your head is back, your ears are in the water, your toes are poking the surface, (not above the surface, they should be near the surface) and your stomach is doing the same. Appendix A, Step 8: Back Floating Without Kick Boards; It's Time! Make sure you read everything before you start to do anything, then when I say " practice what you have learned. In other words, wait until I say Begin before you do anything. Now that you are comfortable floating on your back with the kick boards. It's time to float without them. Replace The Kick Boards With Your Friend You are going to replace the kick boards with your friend holding your shoulders whilst you are in the float position on your back. Your friend is going to hold your shoulders by standing behind you like this: Fig 5: How A Friend Fig.5 Should Hold You When You Are Once S/he is in position you will then slowly lay back into the water. Learning To Float 18

20 If at any point you slip or get concerned enough to need to recover from the water, stand up using the angel wings as you did before. Your friend will help you by lifting you. You need to explain to your friend before you start this step, that they will need to help you up; at least the first few times or they will not know what to do. Your friend needs to know that their job is to stop you head going under water if they can. You Have To Be Comfortable Getting Your Head Under Water Now that you are in deeper water you are going to start your float with your head under water. If in you manage to keep your head above water the whole time, good for you but most won't be able to do it and I encourage you not tot try. Besides there is a good chance that as you practice and are concentrating on everything else that you will forget about where your head is in relation to the water and your face will go under. This may even result in you getting water up your nose. I know I've said this in a couple of times above but I always need to say it again to my new students so I'm saying to you too. Remember that if your head goes under the water at any stage you no longer need to be concerned about it because you have done my Getting Your Head Under Water course [LINK] haven't you. If you are not comfortable getting your head under water or you think it is something that may bother you, go back and review my Getting Your Head Under Water course [LINK] Getting Your Head Position Right For most students the best position is with your chin up high so that you face is above the water and your ears are the only thing under water. However everybody will have a slightly different ideal head position. Therefore getting your head in the most appropriate position for you personally, may take a few goes. If after about 2 dozen attempts you don't manage to get you face above water check out step 9 above (not Appendix a step 9 below but step 9 above) where we will have some fixes. The important thing is that you, Don't give up! As long as your feet are floating off the bottom of the pool, your face is close to the surface of the water and you body is more or less straight (that is not tucked or tensed up) you are good for this step. The other reason for getting your head position correct is to try and stop water going up your nose. Remember: if your head is under water, try blowing air out of your nose to stop the water going up it. Also keep in mind that sometimes water may go up your nose no matter how well prepared and comfortable you are with your head going under water. If this happens just sit yourself up the best way you can; remain quiet and wait for the discomfort to pass, then try again; each time working at adjusting your head better. If you are really struggling with the water up your nose, use nose clips. This is not my preference because the water going up your nose is a very strong incentive to get your head position correct. But I would rather you used nose clips than give up. Keep The Head Position With The Water Over Your Ears The first few times you do this, you will be immediately tempted to tilt your head forward or push it back as you lay back. 19

21 Please Don't! It is very important that you keep the head position with the water over your ears. If you move your head too far backwards or forward you will affect your float. If for some reason your head does go underwater whilst you are laying back into the float position, try not to stand up immediately. Instead try to tilt your head forward and lift you hands out of the water. Your arms should remain under the water and you should push your hips and toes up to the surface. Remember, make sure you are pushing up your hips, not just you stomach. Use the muscles in your bottom to push up. You only want your hips to get close to the surface they don't have to break the surface. Close is good. You may end up looking like Fig.2 (above) as you come out of the water and that is ok. Just remember to try to adjust everything back as you are able. When It Comes Time To Stand Up, Sweep Your Hands Much, Much Deeper Because you are no longer using the kick boards you will need to sweep your hands much, much deeper into the water when you do the angel wings (See Fig.3 above) Sweep Your Arms As Often And As Deep As You Need Feel free to sweep your arms as often and as deep as you need to, in order to stand up or come to a vertical position. Bend Your Knees Make sure you bend your knees and bring them to your chest as you do the angel wings before you start to stand up (See Fig.3 above). Here is what you do in this step: 1. Raise your arms above your shoulders and slowly squat down without changing your arm position. 2. Keeping your hands above your shoulders, lay back and gently push off the water bed and allow yourself to float 3. Allow your friend to hold you (Fig.5) as shown above. But it must be gentle. They must be assisting you, not holding you up. They should be applying only gentle pressure to stop your head from going under water. 4. Adjust your head, hips and toes until you feel as though you may be floating and you feel as though your friends hands are only gently touching you. 5. When your are ready stand up, do your modified angel wings, sweeping your hands deep and towards your legs (Fig.3 above). 6. Sweep your arms as often and as deep as you need 7. Bend your knees and stand up Remember if at any time you feel out of control stand up using your angel wings and tucking you knees up till you are standing (Fig.3 above). 20

22 Appendix A, Step 9: Repeat Repeat Step 8 until you feel comfortable with your float. Appendix A, Step 10: Time For Your Friend To Let Go Remember: Wait till I say before you do anything! In a moment you are going to have you friend let go when you are floating. The worst that can happen is you will go under water. This is nothing to be concerned about as and you are no longer concerned about going under water and you know how to stand up now. In the previous step in particular you have had lots of practice standing up. You Are In Control You are the one that is going to tell your friend when you are ready for them to let go. And you friend is only going to let go for a moment so that you can test your float. If you are floating in that moment you have something to celebrate. If you are not floating all you have to do is stand up and start your float again, adjust you toes hips and hands to make you float better and test it again by your friend letting go momentarily. Most new swimmers will find that when they lift their hips their feet will drop, then as they lift their feet their hips will drop. This is quit normal just keep persisting and adjusting your head and arms until both your feet Fig 6: Momentary Release and your hips are correct. Make Sure Your Friend Understands It's Only For A Moment You must make sure your friend understands that they are only going to let go for a moment and then take hold again. This is not about finding out how daring you are it is about testing your float. Solving Problems If after a while of trying this you are still having difficulty, here are some things to help remind you what you should try: Try only one at a time to see how it feels. If you try more than one at a time you and your body will probably get confused. More importantly you will not be able to figure out which works and which doesn't. After you have tried one adjustment and seen and felt the effects you can try the next one If you are having problems raising you toes sufficiently tighten your stomach muscles more If your head continues to go under water, when you raise your hips, try tilting your head further forward just a little as you raise your hips 21

23 If you are still having problems raising your hips, make sure it is your hips you are raising not just you stomach. Use the muscles in your bottom to push up If that doesn't help, try raising your hands out of the water at the same time as you raise your hips (Fig.2 above). But be sure it's only your hands, your arms should stay under water. In other words bend your wrists so that your hands are raised out of the water. If that doesn't work sufficiently, try raising your arms out of the water a little as well. Just a little. You don't want your arms out of the water. If that doesn't work sufficiently, try tilting your head further forward a little more. Just a little. If you are still having problems remember that some people never get completely flat in the water. That is OK as long as you are laying back with your feet floating off the bottom of the water bed you have archived a sufficient float to be able to move on. Here is what you do in this step: 1. Repeat Step 8 only this time when you are feeling comfortable with your float, tell your friend to let go for a moment. 2. If you go under the water in that moment make adjustments as described above and try again to have your friend let go for a moment. 3. Keep making adjustments until you feel yourself floating in that moment and then stand up Appendix A, Step 11: Let Go For Longer Repeat Step 8 only this time when you are feeling comfortable with your float, tell your friend to let go for a longer than before. You must make sure your friend understands that they are only going to let go for the period of time you say and no longer and then take hold again. Appendix A, Step 12: Let Go Until You Are Floating Repeat the above with your friend letting go each time for a little longer than previously, making adjustments as you go until you are floating without your friends help at all. 22

24 Congratulations! You should now be floating comfortably. You should now be floating comfortably with a good float. A Good back float is one where your head is back, your ears are in the water, your toes are poking the surface, (not above the surface, they should be near the surface) and your stomach is doing the same. If you are not, go back to whatever step you need to and fix it You are now ready to begin the next phase of your learn to swim adventure "Backstroke" [LINK]. Backstroke is the next stage (Stage 3) that I teach my students when I teach them how to swim. I teach this stroke before any others because I find it is the best way to start to teach correct kicking and once you have learned how to float on your back it is the easiest stroke to learn. There is no complicated breathing involved in backstroke and once you have learned even a basic version you can always revert to it if you are struggling in deeper water. There are other reasons as well that I tell you about in the actual module. I look forward to seeing you in it. Again Congratulations and I'll see you in the next course [LINK] Other Guides in this series [LINKS] Getting Your Head Under Water - A Step By Step Guide Learn To Float On Your Back - Your Step By Step Guide Learn How To Swim Backstroke - Your Step By Step Guide Learn To Breaststroke - Your Step By Step Guide Swimming Lesson Plans For Toddlers & Babies: Fully Detailed Teaching Kids To Swim with Quality Swimming Lesson Plans (If any link does not work, wait a few days and try again. I am uploading the Documents as fast as I can but quality takes time. If they still don't work, let me know. Something will have gone wrong and I need to fix it) 23